An Oklahoma jail where a hostage standoff on Saturday left an inmate dead and a guard injured was found last month “not to be in substantial compliance” with state health standards after investigators documented overcrowded living quarters, staff shortages, leaky roofs and moldy showers. An inspection by the Oklahoma State Department of Health in February found that showers at the jail, the Oklahoma County Detention Center, were covered in “black residue which appeared to be mold and mildew.” Some showers were clogged and had standing water, which had “a strong and pungent odor,” the report found, and the “hot water” in one shower measured 56 degrees. Inmates told investigators that the facilities “had been in this condition for several months.” They also said it was “not unusual” to have access to a shower only once every eight days. Air vents at the jail, which is in Oklahoma City, also had “a buildup of lint and black residue.” Living quarters were dirty and overcrowded, with three inmates living in a space that could safely hold one, the report said, and a leaky roof often led to “several inches of water” filling the floors of the laundry, kitchen and basement areas.

Source: New York Times March 31, 2021 22:16 UTC